This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop the survey instruments needed for data-driven decision making and advice. It is also designed to help provide an understanding of how large survey projects are run for political campaigns and academic studies.
This course is being held online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)
Taught by instructors with real-world experience as campaign consultants, survey researchers and data scientists, this masterclass will focus on teaching you about survey design. You will be shown how political survey research works, and sometimes doesn’t, how technology and social trends are changing survey research, and the best ways to write effective survey questions.
This course will be run over 2 days in three sessions per day:
- 10.00 am - 11.30 am - Session 1
- 12.00 pm - 1.30 pm - Session 2
- 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm - Session 3
This course is being held online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)
Dr Shaun Ratcliff is a political scientist, survey researcher and applied data scientist.
He is the Principal at Accent Research, where he works with clients on complex social and political research, studying how the public thinks and behaves, what influences their beliefs and actions, and ways to engage with them.
He was previously Director of Data Science at YouGov, and before that, a Lecturer at the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney where he remains an Honorary Associate and continues to teach data science.
He has a PhD in Political Science from Monash University.
We are in the middle of a data revolution. Research and decision-making in the private, not for profit and public sectors is not immune from its effects. Modern policy research in particular has become increasingly data driven.
High quality data collection is a significant part of this, and the use of survey-type instruments, from the Census to polling, has become increasingly important. However, there have been some large public failures in recent years. Why have there been problems with the Census, how have surveys gotten some recent elections so wrong, and how can they be effectively used to collect data for research, target campaigns and messaging, or design policy?
Taught by instructors with real-world experience as campaign consultants, survey researchers and data scientists, this masterclass will focus on teaching you about survey design. You will be shown how political survey research works, and sometimes doesn’t, how technology and social trends are changing survey research, and the best ways to write effective survey questions. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop the survey instruments needed for data-driven decision making and advice. It is also designed to help provide an understanding of how large survey projects are run for political campaigns and academic studies.
Day 1
1. a) Introductions b) The anatomy of a survey (mode, sample and uses)
2. What makes a good survey question
3. Data^2: Matching survey data to other information to turbocharge research
Day 2
1. Data mining and ethical concerns
2. The art of survey design: Surveys for public sector and corporate research
3. a) problems facing survey research, and some solutions b) conclusion
This workshop will take place online ‘live’ via zoom.
There are no specific software prerequisites, just email, a web browser and a word processor
No Prerequisites needed.
Some light reading will be provided before the course begins.
Delivery of this course is online - via Zoom.
Please ensure you have the following:
- Reliable Internet connection with at least 5Gb per day of data available (i.e. a 5 day course will use about 25Gb of data just on the Zoom application)
- A computer/laptop with the Zoom application installed (free)
- A webcam (built in to most laptops)
- A headset with a microphone (not required but ideal)
- A second monitor/screen if possible
Please also check the course page for specific software requirements (if any).